Gen Z and Boomers Dispute What Dominates the Aussie Agenda

Australia Day remains meaningful to the majority of older Australians but its significance is waning among Gen Z with only one in four twenty-somethings planning to observe the day, a new poll reveals.

The pulse survey of 1875 Australians, commissioned by news.com.au, reveals a generational divide on a range of hot-button issues and was conducted as a precursor to The Great Aussie Debate - an online opinion poll now in its second year that invites all Australians, from today, to share their views on what matters most to them, and settle the score on issues that often spark fierce disagreement.

Sentiment for Australia Day is particularly strong among Boomers (81 per cent) and Pre-Baby Boomers (84 per cent), but this attitude isn’t shared by younger generations, the survey revealed.

Similarly, Pre-Baby Boomers (56 per cent), Boomers (42 per cent) and Retirees (45 per cent) make up the majority of Aussies who prefer working in the office full time, whereas flexible work is still favored by younger workers; though one in four Gen Z and Millennials agree with their grandparents and are anti-WFH.

This more laid-back approach to work is also reflected in attitudes to what we wear. Led by Gen Z, the majority of Australians (67 per cent) support the idea that people should have the freedom to wear whatever they choose, including G-string bikinis. (Although one in three married people favour a G-string bikini ban!)

The Great Aussie Debate - which opens today at news.com.au - invites all Australians to share their opinions on a range of topics including sex, sports and savings, with questions including:

• Do you think your partner subscribing to OnlyFans is cheating?

• What salary do you need to be “rich” in Australia in 2025?

• What is Australia’s premier sporting event?

• Is calling someone ‘white’ racist?

• Do you answer your boss's calls/texts/emails after hours?

More than 50,000 Aussies took The Great Aussie Debate’s inaugural survey in 2023.

Andrew “Bucky” Bucklow, news.com.au journalist and The Great Aussie Debate chief protagonist, said: “The Great Aussie Debate offers a rare glimpse into the raw thoughts of everyday Australians. Everyone sees Australia through a different lens, and this survey invites us to share our differing opinions. That’s what makes our nation great – we’re rich in diversity, so I’m excited to see how these different perspectives clash and converge. This will truly spark a thought-provoking conversation.”

Kerry Warren, news.com.au editor, said: “The Great Aussie Debate was created to give Australians the freedom to speak candidly and offer them a platform to openly share their frank and fearless opinions on a broad spectrum of issues. This year, we’re going even deeper into understanding where we stand as a nation right now – looking at everything from the lighthearted to the serious, and everything in between.”

The Great Aussie Debate is open from today. Have your say at news.com.au.